Steph (Photo. Mannion)

Where has Stephon Marbury been recently? Ever since the Nets game on January 16th, he’s been MIA from the Garden. Truth is, he spent the last month or so rehabbing from ankle surgery, in which he had seven bone fragments removed. While Steph has expressed some desire to on the bench at MSG, the Knicks are having none of it. According to the New York Post, the Knicks have a gag order on Steph and don’t want him on the bench…

According to a Marbury confidant, the embattled point guard is under a gag order by Knicks management, forbidding him from speaking to the media. Marbury has not commented since his Jan. 22 ankle surgery. “They’ve got a muzzle on him,” the confidant said.

Marbury began rehab 11 days ago at the club’s Westchester practice facility, and he has wanted to join the club on the home bench at the Garden since the All-Star break, according to the friend.

The Post story goes on to speculate about that the Knicks aren’t telling the media even though Marbury is shut down for the season. They also cite an unnamed source, who basically says that Isiah blames Steph for this season’s drama.

Insiders believe Thomas feels Marbury cost the Knicks the season by rebelling so strongly in November when the coach looked to remove Marbury from the starting lineup after five games. Marbury’s bolting of Phoenix fractured the locker room. Thomas also resents Marbury for having surgery instead of trying to postpone it. “It was very bad timing for the team,” the friend said, “but it had to be done.”